Before the Civil War, money continued the American Revolution's fetish for greek and french motifs. Mercury on the dime, Liberty on the dollar, fascaes and eagles, no people until George Washington was put on bills. There's probably something to take home about our idolatry towards dead presidents vs the concepts they actually promoted.
The
Apotheosis of Washington (
a) dates from 1865 so I suspect you're right about identifying the Civil War as the breaking point for America. It would also be right around when the last living people who had actually
known Washington were all dead.
Niggers and their consequences are the cause and punishment for all America did wrong, and it didn't start in the 80s, not even the 1880s, but goes
all the way back.
Apotheosis (literally, elevating to a god) is a symptom of a deep wound in the psyche of the country, one that has never healed - and a big part of modern politics is that the "Good Goys" are just people who worship the godhead of Washington, Lincoln, and Reagan instead of the Trinity. (Shuffle and add as you wish, some would put Jackson very high there.)
Americans find it very, VERY hard to admit their country might have really done or been wrong about anything, even the ones who rail and complain and paint them all as evil niggerhaters don't really believe things like "the civil war was wrong" or "the revolutionary war was wrong" or "the nuking of slant-niggers was wrong" - and so they construct foundational myths that demonize the other and sanctify America.
Wickedpedo traces "In God We Trust" back to the Star-Spangled Banner (fourth stanza, remember Pratchett: "It is considered in the Sto Plains that only scoundrels know the second verse of their national anthem, since anyone spending time memorizing that would be up to no good purpose.") and the general expansive use of it to ... the Civil War.
Interesting Null related factoid: "In God We Trust" (also rendered as "In God we trust") is the official motto of the United States as well as the motto of the U.S. state of Florida, along with the nation of Nicaragua (Spanish: En Dios confiamos)."
Sounds like we know where he's going next ....